


The Eye of the Beholder

by JANJANBERRY



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Recovery, all the eye puns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-22 06:58:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10692075
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JANJANBERRY/pseuds/JANJANBERRY
Summary: After the training accident that cost York an eye, Carolina waits at his bedside for him to wake up.





	The Eye of the Beholder

**Author's Note:**

> hello yes i actually managed to write something that's one chapter. everyone knows my boy york made awful eye jokes until the day he died because honestly he's that kind of guy.

The cold, sterile air of the med bay burned in Carolina’s nose. She was used to it by now, though. Almost all of her free time was spent sitting in the stiff chair next to York’s hospital bed. As much as it displeased her father, she couldn’t drag herself away. Even the training room where she used to push herself until she dropped when she was upset offered her no comfort without York there to keep her company and carry her to bed when she did get past her limit.  
It had been a few days since the training “accident” with Wyoming and Maine, and York still hadn’t woken up. The doctors had said he would be fine, but they weren’t able to repair all the damage. He was never going to be quite the same, and for now it was really a waiting game on whether or not he would be able to continue being a freelancer. Almost everyone was hoping, wishing, and praying to any god that would listen that he’d be just fine, but there were a select few whose own ambitions and jealousy eclipsed their compassion. Those few were smart enough to keep their mouths shut, at least around Carolina, North, and Wash.  
Those three had formed a sort of vigil for York. At any time one could go to the med bay and find at least one of them talking to him, reading him the daily reports, or just sitting with him like Carolina was. They made an unspoken pact that he would never be alone, as if just being there would protect him from his injuries. Since there hadn’t been many big missions, there were often times when all three of them sat at his bedside, exchanging stories or just chatting to distract themselves from their shared anxiety.  
Right now, Carolina was alone. North had finally convinced Wash to go to bed and get some sleep for once – despite the bags under his own eyes – and was making sure he got to his quarters without passing out. As much as York and North liked to tease Wash, they always had his back. He was like their little brother. Carolina found it pretty adorable how York looked out for Wash, but she would never say that to his face.  
She sat and watched him sleep, her hopes rising and falling every time his eyebrows furrowed or the corners of his lips curled. The doctors said he would wake up soon, so when his face moved or his fingers twitched she could feel the joy rising in her chest followed by more crushing disappointment when he didn’t open his eye.  
Shortly after North and Wash left, she felt his hand gently squeeze hers. It was probably just another unconscious movement, but she watched his face anyways. Much to her surprise, his eyelid lazily drifted open. He slowly turned his head towards her, and cracked a slight smirk. “You know, this really isn’t how I imagined I’d be waking up next to you.”  
She couldn’t help but smile. “Not quite how I imagined it either.”  
He managed to focus on her face and the smile spread across his face. “I’m definitely not complaining. At least they got me a bed with a view.”  
“Already flirting. I should have guessed.” She said as she jokingly rolled her eyes. “Shouldn’t you save that for when you’re not all bark and no bite?”  
“If you think being high as a kite on whatever the hell in my IV bag is going to stop me from complimenting your pretty face then you are mistaken.”  
“I should probably call North and Wash over here. They’ll be happy to see you.” She said, trying not to blush at his compliment.  
“Call them in a couple minutes. I wanna get a little time alone with you.” He winked, but seemed startled as soon as his eye closed. “Wha…? What happened to my eye?” He asked, reaching up and feeling the gauze covering the left side of his face.  
“About that…” She drew in a deep breath. “What do you remember before you got knocked out?”  
He thought for a moment, the morphine blurring his thoughts and slowing him down. “I… I was on the ground after that new recruit kicked my ass, and then Maine threw the grenade… then Texas covered me in that paint stuff… and then… I… I don’t remember. I think the grenade went off.”  
Carolina nodded. “The paint protected most of you, but not all of you. Your left eye got hit in the blast. The doctors did what they could, but-“  
“Let me guess, blind?”  
She nodded again.  
He was silent for a moment. “Eye don’t see much of a problem.” He cracked another grin.  
“Was that another joke?”  
“Eye don’t know what you mean, Carolina.” There it was: the shit-eating grin of someone who had just struck a gold mine of jokes. They were all going to have to suffer though a wave of eye jokes.  
She groaned. “I think I liked it better when you were asleep.”  
“At least these jokes can’t get any cornea.” His smug expression said it all.  
“God, you’re insufferable. Remind me why I actually talk to you?”  
“I like to think it’s my good looks, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”  
She groaned again. “You’re the worst, York.”  
“The one and only.”  
Carolina paused before leaning down to kiss his forehead. “I missed you.” She whispered.  
He gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “I didn’t have to miss you, you were right here with me the whole time.”  
That time she did blush. As stupid or corny as his jokes usually were, York was also sweet, smooth, and thoughtful. It’s why she fell in love with him, even if she would never admit it to anyone. His sense of humor and his wit were alluring, but his heart was what really drew her in. The way he protects Wash like he’s his little brother, the way he and North have each other’s backs, the way he always finds some way to compliment her. That was what made her fall.  
“You know, this won’t be so bad. As long as I have someone watching my left side I’ll be fine.”  
“I think you’ll have plenty of people looking out for you.” She assured him, running a hand through his hair.  
“You’ll look out for me won’t you?” He looked up at her.  
“Of course, I’ll always be fighting at your side.”


End file.
